Modern equestrian saddles 10 possess various common elements (see FIG. 1), including a seat 12 on which a rider sits, a pommel 14, a cantle 16, side flaps 18, and a saddle panel 20. The saddle panel is an important part of saddle making and saddle fitting, providing a cushioning layer between the saddle seat and the back of the horse which will be wearing the saddle. In its simplest form, a saddle panel is simply a sleeve or cavity of leather or other saddle-making material filled with a cushioning substance, underlying a bottom surface of the saddle seat to contact and cushion the horse's back and provide a comfortable fit. An improperly fitted or insufficiently cushioned saddle and saddle panel may result in discomfort and potentially injury to the horse's back.
Typically, the saddle panel comprises two adjoining pads, separated by an intervening channel which provides airflow and a space to accommodate a horse's spine. A variety of saddle panel configurations are known in the art. For example, a dropped or trapezius panel provides panels that are deeper in the area below and to the rear of the horse's wither, to accommodate horses that have dips behind and to the rear of the wither. A “K” panel is deeper under the frontal portion of the saddle, to accommodate horses that have a high, “shark fin” wither. An upswept panel, as the name suggests, has a rear portion that is upswept rather than squared off, for horses with short backs. Saddle panels may be gusseted, including a wedge-shaped piece disposed at a rear of the saddle to broaden and flatten the weight bearing area in the rear portion of the panel, or non-gusseted. Saddle panels may further be unitary, or may comprise two independent separate panels spaced apart on the saddle underside to so define the channel.
Likewise, a number of different materials are used in constructing saddle panels. A flocked panel is a panel as described above, i.e. one or more sleeves filled with wool or a synthetic fiber. These panels are often the softest of saddle panel types, breaking in (adjusting their shape to conform to the horse's back) quite quickly. Likewise, the cushioning of the flocked panel is easily altered or adjusted, requiring only adding, shifting, or removing wool or synthetic fiber from the panel. A so-called “Swiss panel” is of similar construction, comprising wool or synthetic fiber encased in felt or other fabric. The Swiss panel can likewise be adjusted as to firmness by flocking, although to a lesser degree than a conventional flocked panel that is not encased in felt. A “French panel” comprises a foam encased in felt or other fabric. This type of panel can only be adjusted as to fit and firmness by adding or removing separate pads and/or shims. A foam panel likewise comprises a foam, and can only be adjusted as to firmness with separate shims or pads.
Conventional saddle panels, regardless of their configuration, suffer from a disadvantage in that only a single degree of firmness is possible. That is, in conventional panels, the degree of firmness of the saddle panel is determined by the material used. Providing a variable degree of firmness of the panel is not possible. The density of a foam will determine its weight and durability, i.e. how long the foam will last and retain its shape. However, the firmness of a foam, often empirically measured as Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) (that is, the pounds of force required to compress a thickness of a segment of the foam by 25%), is substantially independent of foam density. So, saddle manufacturers previously were required to balance the need for saddle cushioning and weight with the need for a saddle panel that would last a commercially suitable length of time, retaining its shape and cushioning properties in a manner and for a length of time satisfactory to the consumer.
For this reason, there remains a need in the art for improvements in the design of saddles and saddle panels therefore, providing the desired functions of cushioning function, and durability